This family includes 5 North American genera with 17 species. The larvae often build tubular retreats, the tops of the structures are camouflaged with silk and pieces of detritus and pieces of substrate. They use the retreat to collect and gather food. As they add to the length of the tube to extend their grazing space, they occasionally harvest the old portion where they have cultivated periphyton. The larvae can be distinguished from other similar looking groups (such as the Philopotamidae) because the Psycomyiidae are the only caddisfly larvae with the foretrochantins (pair of hard projections between forecoxae and head) hatchet-shaped.

Characteristics

POLLUTION TOLERANCE

Upper Midwest: up to 2

Midwest: 1.9 - 2.8

Southeast: 2.6 - 4.3

0 = least tolerant, 10 = most tolerant

FEEDING HABITS

Collector / Gatherer
Scraper / Grazer

MOVEMENT

Clinger

Diagnostic Characters

Order

Prolegs With Single Hook

Family

Hatchet-shaped Foretrochantin

+ Expanded Character List

Order:Larvae: Wings/wing pads absent. Eye spots present, but compound eyes absent. Antennae usually small, inconspicuous. Three pairs of segmented legs present on thorax. Pair of anal prolegs, each with single hook, located on last abdominal segment. Larvae can be free-living, in silken retreats attached to substrate, or in usually-portable tubes or cases made of sand, rocks, or plant material.